Could we nudge the orbit of the Earth to avoid the death of the Sun? Could it get kicked out of the solar system altogether? What are rogue exoplanets?
Jun 20th: Could the Earth Leave the Solar System?
Paul M. Sutter Archive
Jun 6th: How Does Light Slow Down?
If light always travels at the speed of light, how does it slow down when passing through air or water? Does it matter is light is made of particles or waves? What’s the difference between phase velocity and group velocity, and how does that all play into this?
May 16th: What are the Top 5 Mysteries in Astronomy?
What are the biggest mysteries facing modern astronomers? What questions do I wish could be answered in my lifetime? What are most astronomers working on right now?
May 2nd: What are the Top 5 Discoveries of All Time in Astronomy
What discoveries and insights made the biggest impacts in astronomy and physics? What were the biggest surprises? What results took the longest to achieve? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman!
Apr 18th: What’s So Weird About Black Hole Shadows?
How does a black hole make a shadow? What can we learn from it? What are we seeing when we look at a black hole? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman!
Apr 4th: Which is Better, Human or Robotic Exploration?
What are the advantages of robotic exploration of the solar system? What are the limitations? Is there any situation where human exploration is better?
Mar 14th: Could We Ever Build A Dyson Sphere?
What are Dyson spheres? What would be involved in building one? How much energy would it cost, and could we ever pay it back?
Mar 7th: How Cold Can Space Get?
What’s the temperature of deep space? Can it get any colder than that? How do we even define temperature when there’s nothing around? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman!
Feb 21st: Does the Universe Rotate?
How do we know that the universe doesn’t rotate? Why would it matter if it did? What does all this have to do with time travel?
Feb 7th: What are the Blue Stragglers?
What are blue straggler stars? How were they first discovered? What do they tell us about star clusters and the evolution of stars? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman!